Ecological Footprint Facts

An ecological footprint is a measurement of human impact on the environment. It calculates the amount of land and water required to maintain a particular population.

Origin

William Rees and Mathis Wackernagel coined the term at the University of British Columbia in 1992. They co-published a book on the topic in 1996 titled "Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Human Impact on the Earth."

Types

An ecological footprint can refer to the environmental impact of an individual, a city, a region, a nation or the entire world.

Features

The sorts of calculations that compose an ecological footprint include how much land is dedicated to waste disposal, the amount of land and water employed in agriculture and how the type and quantity of energy used affects land and water supplies.

Example

According to the Global Footprint Network, the ecological footprint of the United States is 94 hectares per capita (or 23.3 acres per person).

Significance

Because it is dependent on factors like lifestyle, income and technological levels, the ecological footprint reveals the consumption patterns of a particular population.

References

• Global Footprint Network: New Data Shows Humanity's Ecological Debt Compounding
• Global Development Research Center: What is an Ecological Footprint?
• Colorado College: Ecological Footprints

Resources

• Global Footprint Network: Footprint Basics